Leah's Perfect Gift

This is not a Hallmark movie. Hallmark movies have lovable and kind characters. These people were mean and rude and it wasn't redeemed in the end. I thought the lead actress did a great job as an actress, it was no fault to her that the story line lacked the true Hallmark Christmas spirit.

Most of us watch Hallmark movies because they are uplifting and warm. This was one of those that left you uncomfortable in every scene. I don't understand the direction Hallmark is going in but this didn't work. I would compare this to Meet the Parents, although it wasn't a comedy it gave me the same uncomfortable feeling the entire movie.

I really enjoyed this movie (coming from a long marriage where we combined Christmas and Hannukah traditions). Some of the scenes were a bit over the top, however I can relate so well to the way I opened packages on holidays by ripping the wrapping paper vs. The way my non-Jewish husband opened packages by carefully opening the taped end and folding the paper afterwards. Combining our traditions led to some moments such as they portrayed in the movie. I have to think that some or all of the writers lived some of these type of situations too. I really enjoyed the ending when the mother and Leah have an honest conversation. I don't understand all of the bad reviews here; I enjoyed this movie and could relate to most of it.

I am not sure what was going on in the writer's room when they were writing this movie, but someone must have skipped food and turned in a hangry script. I really like Leah, she was the best part of this film. The rest of the characters are just plain awful. No woman with her amount of education and humor would stay with a milk toast man who did not stick up for her and let his mom be so condescending and just mean. Most of the movie the acting is over the top or just dull. I think with less snakiness from the mom, the over the top and stereotypical nasty ex girlfriend, and a strong leading man this could have been something. This one misses the mark.

Leah's Perfect Gift is one of the harder 2024 Hallmark Christmas movie releases to critique. There is a lot to like, but at the same time there are plenty of things in the plot that are head scratchers and detract from the movie. For the "pros" category: This was our first time seeing the actress Emil Arlook who plays "Leah" in this and her performance was actually quite good in this. She's believable and likeable, and Leah becomes more likeable as her character develops throughout the story. Leah's family is also quite believable and likeable and appear to be a lot of fun. Now the "cons": Leah's boyfriend, "Graham" (played by Evan Roderick) and his family aren't all that likeable. It's hard to describe but there's something super annoying about his parents, particularly his OCD mother "Barbara", and unfortunately, we get to spend the bulk of the time of the movie stuck with these parents. "Barbara" is not likeable, and maybe that's the whole point, but at the end of the story there's a total 180 degree turn with "Barbara" and we're all supposed to be empathetic towards her. Why? Not enough of a backstory there to explain why we should "let her off the hook" for her rude and abhorrent treatment of Leah throughout the majority of the movie. In many ways this felt like a Hallmark Christmas movie version of the 2017 horror thriller "Get Out" because for most of the movie I was yelling at the screen to Leah "Get out of there! Get away from his family!" Graham was a lousy boyfriend and really never stands up to his parents (he lets them off the hook one too many times IMO), he "humors" their rude behavior and treatment of Leah and constantly explains it off to Leah as basically "Well I told you they're quirky". I told my wife at the end of the movie, "I'd rather have spent the bull of the movie with Leah's family, they were fun and nice!" The only reason I'm giving this Hallmark Christmas movie 6 stars instead of 1 star is because Leah was likeable/believable and I was empathetic to her situation.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I thought Leah and Graham had chemistry. You could tell they really loved each other. I loved the sister too. She brought in some comedic timing that was needed. I loved mixing the Jewish and Christian traditions. I would agree with other reviewers that Graham's parents were over the top and rude. I don't know why Hallmark does that and then in the final moments they change. It's not believable. I really felt Leah's performance and how she didn't feel like she fit in with Graham's parents. He played both sides well. Maybe he could have listened to Leah better but that is where some of the conflict lyes. The ex girlfriend could have been left out. She really brought nothing to the table. Overall I really liked this movie.